So, I crashed my Tesla the other day on a front-end collision which the law says was my fault but there’re lots of grey areas there. Anyhow, be that as it may, the car performed very well and, in the process, I learnt some things about the car I should have known if I had read the manual. It looks like Tesla has made a lot of effort to protect the humans in accidents:
1. I was the only occupant and both my front airbags deployed very quickly in what seemed like moderate impact. The front-end damage looks minimal involving the bumper only.
2. Some time in the seconds it takes for a high-speed impact, the car does move the driver seat back and raises the steering wheel.
3. The hazard lights are turned on and you’re advised to pull over by a message on the screen. Had I not been in an inner lane of high speed I-95 I could have moved but it was 30 minutes before high way patrol could block a lane to enable me to move the car which by then could only be placed in neutral enabling to be pushed onto the side.
4. It looks like the main battery is isolated electronically in very short order. So, any maneuvers you need to perform are on your 12-volt battery which will get depleted very fast. Not sure whether this is automated or remotely done by Tesla roadside assistance team. Curious on this one. They do contact you after this type of accident. In my case to the phone number I had on my account which was not my cell. So, they did not talk to me but additionally sent an email asking that I contact them. Good luck on that one. If you don’t take their call for whatever reason, you will wait on the phone for a very long hold and give up as the massage says they’re helping other Tesla drivers. Sounds like a whole lot of us are in trouble all the time. Anyhow, not assigning blame here. If I had the correct phone number on my account, I’d have talked to them.
5. Once the 12-volt battery gets depleted you’re in lock down mode, including being locked out if you close the doors, the parking brake set and SOL unless you know the tow truck can connect to the 12-volt terminals to activate some functions. AGAIN, ALL IN THE MANUAL. In my case I did not know that and so spent 3 hours on the roadside trying to figure things out. As luck (or lack thereof) would have it my cell phone charge was at 12% when the accident happened. Quickly depleted calling all sorts of places and people. I couldn’t make this up if I tried. My imagination is not that good but my preponderance towards attracting perfect storms has been well documented over the years.
Now for the solutions or attempt at them:
1. Knowing my car is likely to be in the shop for a while based on many case reports and personal experience, I figured I’s probably get a new Model S quicker than the repairs. I have configured one on my account but decided to hold out after reading a few web discussions. You see, I really like the look of the front end of the 3 but I know it would be years to get a 3 if I ordered one now. It seems a no brainer to me that Tesla will soon modify the S to look like the 3 and so I’m not placing that order until then.
2. In the meantime, I need a car to drive and I have always wanted the VW Beetle. Something to do with childhood fantasies growing up in the isolated plains of the African savanna. On that one I was holding out for the EV model which had been rumored but alas, VW terminated the Beetle. So, I decided I’d buy a gas one anyway. The dealership experience has left me sour in the mouth. I visited two but talked to more. They all have prices listed on the internet. Both dealerships I visited gave me offer prices $5000 to $7000 more than the internet listed prices with some retarded explanations of why the internet prices were not correct. Getting a used one from CarMax instead as they, like Tesla, have firm prices and I couldn’t stand the dealership salesmanship.
3. This experience leads me to believe that Tesla has nothing to fear from traditional car makers getting into the EV business. That experience alone for me, was a deal breaker. I suspect lots more people feel that way. Additionally, substantial OTA updates are unlikely with traditional car makers. The dealers will need to make money somehow.
4. And finally, yes, I drunk the Musk Kool-Aid a long time ago. So maybe not too objective.
1. I was the only occupant and both my front airbags deployed very quickly in what seemed like moderate impact. The front-end damage looks minimal involving the bumper only.
2. Some time in the seconds it takes for a high-speed impact, the car does move the driver seat back and raises the steering wheel.
3. The hazard lights are turned on and you’re advised to pull over by a message on the screen. Had I not been in an inner lane of high speed I-95 I could have moved but it was 30 minutes before high way patrol could block a lane to enable me to move the car which by then could only be placed in neutral enabling to be pushed onto the side.
4. It looks like the main battery is isolated electronically in very short order. So, any maneuvers you need to perform are on your 12-volt battery which will get depleted very fast. Not sure whether this is automated or remotely done by Tesla roadside assistance team. Curious on this one. They do contact you after this type of accident. In my case to the phone number I had on my account which was not my cell. So, they did not talk to me but additionally sent an email asking that I contact them. Good luck on that one. If you don’t take their call for whatever reason, you will wait on the phone for a very long hold and give up as the massage says they’re helping other Tesla drivers. Sounds like a whole lot of us are in trouble all the time. Anyhow, not assigning blame here. If I had the correct phone number on my account, I’d have talked to them.
5. Once the 12-volt battery gets depleted you’re in lock down mode, including being locked out if you close the doors, the parking brake set and SOL unless you know the tow truck can connect to the 12-volt terminals to activate some functions. AGAIN, ALL IN THE MANUAL. In my case I did not know that and so spent 3 hours on the roadside trying to figure things out. As luck (or lack thereof) would have it my cell phone charge was at 12% when the accident happened. Quickly depleted calling all sorts of places and people. I couldn’t make this up if I tried. My imagination is not that good but my preponderance towards attracting perfect storms has been well documented over the years.
Now for the solutions or attempt at them:
1. Knowing my car is likely to be in the shop for a while based on many case reports and personal experience, I figured I’s probably get a new Model S quicker than the repairs. I have configured one on my account but decided to hold out after reading a few web discussions. You see, I really like the look of the front end of the 3 but I know it would be years to get a 3 if I ordered one now. It seems a no brainer to me that Tesla will soon modify the S to look like the 3 and so I’m not placing that order until then.
2. In the meantime, I need a car to drive and I have always wanted the VW Beetle. Something to do with childhood fantasies growing up in the isolated plains of the African savanna. On that one I was holding out for the EV model which had been rumored but alas, VW terminated the Beetle. So, I decided I’d buy a gas one anyway. The dealership experience has left me sour in the mouth. I visited two but talked to more. They all have prices listed on the internet. Both dealerships I visited gave me offer prices $5000 to $7000 more than the internet listed prices with some retarded explanations of why the internet prices were not correct. Getting a used one from CarMax instead as they, like Tesla, have firm prices and I couldn’t stand the dealership salesmanship.
3. This experience leads me to believe that Tesla has nothing to fear from traditional car makers getting into the EV business. That experience alone for me, was a deal breaker. I suspect lots more people feel that way. Additionally, substantial OTA updates are unlikely with traditional car makers. The dealers will need to make money somehow.
4. And finally, yes, I drunk the Musk Kool-Aid a long time ago. So maybe not too objective.
